WATCH | “You don’t want to be happy losing” | Keith Wood on the Munster vs Exeter clash

Former Irish Captain and Munster man Keith Wood gives his thoughts on the Munster vs Exeter round of 16 match up in the Champions Cup

Munster lost to Exeter in the first leg of the two legged clash against Exeter in Sandy Park at the weekend.

The Munster side can be confident coming home with only a five point gap between the two sides after a 13-8 final score.

A shaky start from Munster led to a Stuart Hogg trademark run in, giving the home side the lead. Exeter were able to add another five following a line-out maul.

Talented young winger Shane Daly managed to grab a try back for Munster which kept the game as tight as it was leaving a real spectacle for when they travel to Ireland this weekend.

Ireland star Keith Earls, who’s only back from a hamstring injury, was able to inject his influence into the game with a couple of key moments in the game most importantly with his epic try saving tackle to keep the points gap at five.

Ex Ireland Captain and former Munster hooker Keith Wood featured on Off the Ball this morning reflecting on the game and the advantages Munster can bring into the second leg.

Looking at Keith Earls and the effort he made to get back into the squad, the 34 year olds persistent nature can be seen in his epic try saving tackle with less than five minutes to go in the game:

“I’m thrilled for him because he came back from a hamstring injury and it’s very hard suddenly at the end of a game to sprint the way across the field to make that happen so he didn’t car about himself either in that instance. “

Wood reflects on the ins and outs of the game and gives Munster fans hope of what the future may hold for them:

“I thought there was an awful lot to be happy for in the game, there was injuries, there was sickness, there was a variety of things wrong. I thought our defence in open play for the vast majority of the game was fantastic. It was a really good defensive line, really good hard hits.

“Our defence off first phase, lineouts in particular, was poor.”

The former hooker admits that Munster decision making could have been so much better throughout the game and may be the difference in the next game:

“I still got a bit annoyed, down to thirteen men, pick and go, I mean the space has to be outside when your five yards or fifteen yards from the line but getting pushed back from fiver meters to twenty two meters by thirteen men is great defense but not a whole lot of thinking required in that defense.”

Check out the full video below